Spring-adjusting mechanism for electric switches.



PATENTED SEPT. 26, 1905.

C. G. PERKINS.

SPRING ADJUSTING MECHANISM FOR ELECTRIC SWITCHES.

APPLICATION FILED OCT. 18, 1904.

Snow doc Qwd neoo as UNITED STATES PATENT oEEioE.

CHARLES G. PERKINS, OF HARTFORD, CONNECTICUT, ASSIGNOR TO THE PERKINS CORPORATION, OF HARTFORD, CONNECTICUT, A CORPORA- TION OF CONNECTICUT.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Sept. 26, 1905.

Application filed October 18, 1904. Serial No. 229,011.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, CHARLES G. PERKINS, a citizen of the United States, residing at Hartford, in the county of Hartford and State of Connecticut, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Spring- Adjusting Mechanism for Electric Switches; and I do declare the following to beafull, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the figures of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

This invention relates to improvements in electric switches; and it consists in certain novel features of construction and arrangement of parts, which will be fully hereinafter described, and pointed out in the claims.

The object of this invention is to produce an easy and convenient means of adjusting the tension of the spring which actuates the commutator or movable pole-carrying member.

In this mechanism the actuating-spindle is provided with an integral segmental pinion. A commutator or movable pole-carrying member is rotatably mounted on the said spindle and carries a rigidly-connected radial flange at its lower end. The said radial flange is provided with a multiplicity of perforations or holes, all of which are equidistant from the center thereof. A spring connection couples the spindle and the commutator together. A plate provided with a segmental gearing, a deten-t, and a pivot is arranged to take bearing in such perforation orhole in said radial commutator-flange as will produce the required spring tension when the teeth of said gear and spindle-pinion are meshed in their proper relation to each other. The detent is so disposed and arranged that it will engage with and disengage from the teeth of the ratchet-wheel (which is rigidly secured to the switch-base) as the commutator or movable pole-carrying member is advanced step by step from one position of rest to another.

Heretofore it has been customary to try the strength of the commutator-actuating springs during the process of assembling, and if by a predetermined test they proved inefficient or weak that portion of the switch which had been assembled up to the testing-point had to be disassembled and reassembled with a new spring, the operation being repeated till a spring of the proper tension was found, the weal: springs being discarded as worthless. This trouble is entirely obviated by the device hereinafter described.

Similar figures of reference refer to similar parts throughout the entire views.

Figure I is a plan View of a rotary snapswitch mechanism which is well calculated to illustrate the scope of and carry out the spirit and intent of this invention. Fig. 2 is a view in cross-section of the mechanism shown in Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is an elevation of the rotary pole-carrying member. Fig. 4: is a plan view of Fig. 3. Fig. 5 is an elevation of the integral segmental gear, pivot, and detent. Fig. 6 is a plan View of the same. Fig. 7 is an elevation of the fixed ratchet-wheel. Fig. 8 is a plan of same. Fig. 9 is an elevation of the spindle and integral segmental pinion. Fig. 10 is a plan view of same. Figs. 11 and 12 are respectively an elevation and plan of the collar or clip for attaching the upper end of the commutator-actuating spring to the operating-spindle. Figs. 13 and 1A are respectively an edge and plan of the spindle-retaining clip. Figs. 15 and 16 are detail views of a clip employed in the invention.

Figs. 17 and 18 are an edge and plan view of the nut for securing the stationary ratchetwheel to the switch-base. Figs. 19, 20, 21, and 22 are bottom views of the escapement, showing positions occupied by the various members of the escapement mechanism during the operation of advancing the commutator from one position of rest to another. Figs. 23 and 24 are respectively an elevation and plan view of the mechanism shown in the four preceding views.

The base I is made of any suitable non-conductive material and may be made of any approved form or shape. Mounted thereon are the usual stationary contact-bearing bindingposts 2. In the center of the base is located a ratchet-wheel 3, provided with a depending hub or sleeve, which passes entirely through the base and is secured in place by the clamp:

ing action of the nut 4:. The spindle 5 takes bearing in the hub or sleeve of the ratchetwheel and is supported thereby. The spindle carries a handle. (Not herein shown.) The commutator or movable pole-carrying member 6 is rotatably mounted on the spindle and bears at its lower end a flange 7.

In an annular groove in the commutatorhub is located the actuating-spring 8. The l located and secured in place.

The operation actuating-spring is made fast at one end to a l of the switch from this point on is the same collar 9, which is secured to the spindle, and y the opposite end is made fast to the commutator-body or its radial flange. .The spindle is provided with a segmental pinion 10. The radial flange 7 is provided with a multiplicity of holes 11, any one of which may act as a bearing for the trunnion or pivot 12 on the plate 13. The plate is provided with a segmental gear-13 and is also provided with a yoke 14 (to give it a large bearing-surface between the radial comm utato r-flange and the stationary ratchet-wheel) and a detent 15, and the teeth of the segmental gear are adapted to mesh with the teeth of the spindle-pinion.

The usual movable pole-plates 16 are mounted upon the commutator or pole-carrying member 16 in the usual manner; but as this portion of the device forms no part of the present invention a further description is deemed unnecessary. A clip 17 is secured to the lower end of the spindle after it has been passed through the hub or sleeve of the ratchet-wheel to preclude the possibility of longitudinal displacement.

To assemble the device, the contact-bearing posts 2 and the ratchet-wheel 3 are secured to the base in the usual manner. The flanged commutator-bod y, bearing the usual insulated movable pole-plates, is nextmounted upon the spindle. The actuating-spring is then placed in the annular groove and its inner end made fast in any approved manner. The clip 9 is then made fast to the spindle and the outeror free end of the spring is secured thereto. A suitable handle is then applied to the spindle in the usual manner, but has been omitted, as it was thought to be too well understood to require illustration. When thus assembled, it will be readily understood that by holding the commutator and turning the handle a winding motion will be communicated to the spring through the intervening connected mechanism, and when the spring is wound sufliciently tense the yoke of the plate is passed over the lower end of the spindle and its teeth meshed with those of the spindlepinion at a predetermined point, when it will be found that by swinging the pivot around the spindle in either direction it will register with and can be seated in one of the four holes shown in the commutator-flange, and by this arrangement any and all springs may be utilized, whether weak or strong, as the location of the pivot in the commutator-flange is determined altogether by the tension of the spring. It will be readily understood that more or less than four holes may be employed and that the refinement of the adjustment depends entirely upon the number of holes that are employed. After the proper spring tension has been attained the lower end of the spindle is passed down through the ratchetwheel hub or sleeve and the retaining-cli p 17 as any other rotary electric switch, of which there are many styles now in use z'. 0., by turning the handle in the proper direction, or clockwise, energy is stored in the spring, and at the same time the detent is withdrawn from the teeth of the fixed ratchet-wheel, when the spring acts to rotate the commutator rapidly around the spindle, and through the action of the gear and pinion the detent is drawn inward and caused to abut against the next tooth of the ratchet-wheel, thereby arresting further movement of the commutator and its movable pole-plate and holding them in a state of rest until the operation of turning the handle is repeated.

I would not be understood as claiming broadly the entire switch mechanism herein shown, as the greater portion thereof is old, but has been shown and described herein to better illustrate the operation of those features which are new and which embody my invention; Neither would I be understood as limiting myself to the exact means shown, since it is obvious that many modified forms may be constructed without departing essentially from my invention, and while I have shown a form which I prefer to construct at the present time, yet I desire to be left free to enjoy the full and unreserved rights which rightfully belong to me.

Having thus fully illustrated and described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In combination, an operating-spindle, a commutator rotatably mounted thereon, a spring connection between the spindle and commutator, the connection being such that the spindle may give a required tension to the spring, and means for holding the spring at its required tension.

2. In an electric switch, a spindle bearing a segmental pinion, a commutator provided with a flange at its lower end, and having a multiplicity of holes equidistant from the center thereof, and rotatably mounted on said spindle, and a segmental gear having a trunnion-bearing adapted to take seat in any one of said holes, the teeth of said gear adapted to engage, and mesh, with the teeth of said spindle-pinion.

3. In combination, an operating-spindle, a commutator, rotatably mounted thereon, a spring connection between the spindle and commutator, the connection being such that the rotation of the spindle may give a required tension to the spring and means acting in conjunction with both the spindle and commutator for holding the spring at its required tension.

4. In combination, an operating-spindle, a commutator, rotatably mounted thereon, a spring connection between the spindle and commutator, the connection being such that the rotation of the spindle may give a required tension to the spring and a plate for engaging the spindle to hold the spring at its required tension.

5. In combination, an operating-spindle, a commutator, rotatably mounted thereon, a spring connection between the spindle and commutator, the connection being such that the rotation of the spindle may give a required tension to the spring and a plate for engaging both the spindle and the commutator to hold the spring at its required tension.

6. In combination, an operating-spindle, a commutator rotatably mounted thereon, a spring connection between the spindle and commutator, the connection being such that the spindle may give a required tension to the spring, and means for engaging the spindle for holding the spring at its required tension.

7. In combination, an operating-spindle, a commutator rotatably mounted thereon, a spring connection between the spindle and commutator, the connection being such that the spindle may give a required tension to the spring, a plate pivoted to the commutator, and engaging the spindle, and means whereby the changing of the pivotal point of the plate holds the spring at its required tension.

8. In combination, an operating-spindle, a commutator rotatably mounted thereon, a spring connection between the spindle and commutator, the connection being such that the rotation of the spindle may give a required tension to the spring and a plate loosely engaging the commutator and contact with the spindle for holding the spring at its required tension.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature in presence of tWo Witnesses.

, CHARLES Gr. PERKINS.

\V i tnesses:

H. J. MAERGKLEIN, H. MCKINNEY. 

